Am I turning into a grumpy old git?

Is it me becoming easily annoyed or is there an increase in poor grammar as well as manner?

Its like... People PM me asking for a favour or some sort of software without ever saying "hi" nor "thank you". These PMs are usually written with the grammar of a 5 year old. Do they really expect me to help them out?

There should be some sort of survey/test new members need to pass prior to joining, to make sure they can spell at least half the words and use some common sense.

I don'tz understeands what yuo sayz!!! I'm a newbie on this forum, but I know what you're talking about, I've recieved 2 PMs like the ones you mentioned in the last couple of days.

mightybh said:

People PM me asking for a favour or some sort of software without ever saying "hi" nor "thank you".

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Ignore em' no reason to get strung out.

But I hear ya!

worldly panther said:

I think it's mostly international guests.... and I would hate to see what my typing in their language would look like .........#%^*((_+@#@.........yeak! whoa..ddude!
lookout Alvin

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While I totally agree with you, there are pretty universal formalities that people of most cultures are at least aware of. Just because it's the internet, doesn't mean it has to be informal.

mightybh said:

Is it me becoming easily annoyed or is there an increase in poor grammar as well as manner?

Its like... People PM me asking for a favour or some sort of software without ever saying "hi" nor "thank you". These PMs are usually written with the grammar of a 5 year old. Do they really expect me to help them out?

There should be some sort of survey/test new members need to pass prior to joining, to make sure they can spell at least half the words and use some common sense.

Click to expand...

Struck a note with me, you have!

Most under 30 cannot write a coherent English sentence, have a pitiable vocabulary, cannot write in a legible manner and haven't the foggiest notion of how to communicate effectively using the written word.

And I'll say, not only in the USA and UK.

I have much more respect for those non-native English speakers who TRY and they try very hard; in fact, I rather enjoy speaking with them because their enthusiasm and effort is apparent.

It also helps that I have, or had, as the case may be now, a strong background in linguistics and language, which background aids me immensely in conversing with our offshore freinds.

Some of my pet peeves:

I mourn the decline and quite likely passing of the subjunctive.

"Effect" for "affect" and vice versa.

"Irregardless"...I want to strangle them!

"Wreck havoc", instead of "wreak havoc".

"Supposably".....get me another, bartender!

"Cutting edge" an illiterate bastardisation of the original term, "leading edge" as in the FRONT surface of the wing of an aircraft, the bow of a ship or the fender(wing) of an automobile.

The misuse of the apostrophe.

"TV's!"; to which I reply, "TV's WHAT?"

It's possessive, you bloody moron!

The pronunciation of the name "Xavier" as "Ex-avier"; the clueless assholes being so uneducated as to not know that the "X" was merely a substituition for the letter "J" and that the correct pronunciation of the name is "Hav-i-er"; the "X" having been historically substituted for the "J" as a gesture of respect to the Cross.

The "X" has nothing to do with pronunciation.

Jesus, that one bugs me!

And automobiles which have four doors; two forward opening and two rearward opening, like the Lincoln Continental of 1961-1969 and every other sedan or limousine worth mentioning are referred to as having "kissing doors".

Kill them and kill them NOW!

DON'T LET THEM BREED!

Ah, well, just what does one do?

Uptownbulker said:

Struck a note with me, you have!

Most under 30 cannot write a coherent English sentence, have a pitiable vocabulary, cannot write in a legible manner and haven't the foggiest notion of how to communicate effectively using the written word.

And I'll say, not only in the USA and UK.

I have much more respect for those non-native English speakers who TRY and they try very hard; in fact, I rather enjoy speaking with them because their enthusiasm and effort is apparent.

It also helps that I have, or had, as the case may be now, a strong background in linguistics and language, which background aids me immensely in conversing with our offshore freinds.

Some of my pet peeves:

I mourn the decline and quite likely passing of the subjunctive.

"Effect" for "affect" and vice versa.

"Irregardless"...I want to strangle them!

"Wreck havoc", instead of "wreak havoc".

"Supposably".....get me another, bartender!

"Cutting edge" an illiterate bastardisation of the original term, "leading edge" as in the FRONT surface of the wing of an aircraft, the bow of a ship or the fender(wing) of an automobile.

The misuse of the apostrophe.

"TV's!"; to which I reply, "TV's WHAT?"

It's possessive, you bloody moron!

The pronunciation of the name "Xavier" as "Ex-avier"; the clueless assholes being so uneducated as to not know that the "X" was merely a substituition for the letter "J" and that the correct pronunciation of the name is "Hav-i-er"; the "X" having been historically substituted for the "J" as a gesture of respect to the Cross.

The "X" has nothing to do with pronunciation.

Jesus, that one bugs me!

And automobiles which have four doors; two forward opening and two rearward opening, like the Lincoln Continental of 1961-1969 and every other sedan or limousine worth mentioning are referred to as having "kissing doors".

Kill them and kill them NOW!

DON'T LET THEM BREED!

Ah, well, just what does one do?

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Once again Uptownbulker, I am compelled to comment, "The joys of being in the company of an educated man".

Surprised you didn't mention my two favourites:

1. They were counting there money. (instead of their)

2. I think your beautiful. (instead of you're)

The decline in good manners, whether written or spoken, must surely stem from laziness and the need to look cool, although how one is considered cool if unable to enunciate clearly defies comprehension.

smitty5168 has the right idea. If I can't understand you, I can't help you and you will be ignored. If you have the manners of a savage, don't be surprised when I treat you like one.

themagician

themagician said:

Once again Uptownbulker, I am compelled to comment, "The joys of being in the company of an educated man".

Surprised you didn't mention my two favourites:

1. They were counting there money. (instead of their)

2. I think your beautiful. (instead of you're)

The decline in good manners, whether written or spoken, must surely stem from laziness and the need to look cool, although how one is considered cool if unable to enunciate clearly defies comprehension.

smitty5168 has the right idea. If I can't understand you, I can't help you and you will be ignored. If you have the manners of a savage, don't be surprised when I treat you like one.

themagician

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I thought I was the only grumpy old git in the Universe that got upset by this. It's a joy when I find that other people are as annoyed as I am.

Note: I said "it's" for "it is" not "its" - and that's one of my pet peeves.

The other major one is when people write "i" instead of "I". It must be all that effort of holding down a shift key that stops them. If God didn't mean them to use the shift key, why would He have invented it?

smitty5168 said:

Ignore em' no reason to get strung out.

But I hear ya!

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I agree. You just need to become friends with the delete button.

There are a lot of foreign members on this forum and personally it doesn't bother me if they cannot spell but it bothers me if they aren't polite and think that they can walk on water. Please or a thank you goes a long way!

smitty5168 said:

Ignore em' no reason to get strung out.

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Indeed, if they act like they are entitled to a response without having respect there is no need to waste any more time than you already have reading incomprehensible messages.

Mmmmmmmmmmm................yes, indeed, there are so many more but as Herb Morrison at Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937, "I dare not look!"

I notice also that the tried and true Cadillac Brougham; pronounced, "Broo'em", has become the Cadillac, "Brog-ham" and I believe that the first hearing of this aberration is responsible for my partial hearing loss!

Speaking of "aberration"; so many use the word "abortion" when "aberration" would be correct.

Included in the horror are such tragedies as the over-use of the word, "multiple", as in "multiple shots", "multiple wounds", "multiple layers"; EGADS!

Can't anyone come up with a better word?

Now as far as "Ebonics" goes, there are very real reasons for the pronunciation of certain words within specific ethnic communities, so one should not be so swift to laugh at what initilally is heard as a mis-pronunciation.

"Credik", for "credit"?

The substituion of a "t" at the end of words ending with a "d"?

What up with that, homey?

Well, what is up, is that the "d" sound simply did not exist in the seminal African languages spoken by the Black Africans stolen into slavery in the USA and elsewhere!

Oddly enough, neither did the hard "c" sound and although it seems incongruous, the "t" sound was substituted but never made the crossover to the end of other words!

Our Cajun freinds, hereinafter known as "Coonasses", may well "axe" us questions; "axe" in lieu of "ask", for quite similar reasons.

The English "sk" sound is simply not found in the languages spoken by their ancestors, so it was very difficult to pronounce, I tell you, for sure, Cher!

I must now confess that I absolutely LOVE Spanglish; that ear-wrenching blend of Mexican Spanish and English!

If one does not know the word in Spanish, one merely uses the English equivalent and vice-versa!

"OK" is understood universally, as are "TV", "computer", "ebook", etc.

If there is no applicable word, one merely makes up a new one and moves right along!

While in a business offce a few days ago I was listening to a secretary talking to her children on the phone.

Punctuated with "cabrones", "Stop it!", more Spanish, "I tell your Papa!", more Spanish, a "chinga" something and then, "OK, you hear me?", I knew quite well that her children were fighting, that if they did not stop she was going to fucking kill them and in any case, Mom was going to tell Dad what had transpired!

I love it!

Well, off to the wars!

mightybh said:

There should be some sort of survey/test new members need to pass prior to joining, to make sure they can spell at least half the words and use some common sense.

Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea. IQ test perhaps?

I logged in this morning to 2 PM's in which the grammar was atrocious. (Not that I am much better )
Again asking for free software, the best part is where they only have one post and it's been deleted on an account that is only two days old. They should limit the PM's to ten to twenty Day old accounts or more, to avoid people not reading and learning but rather just asking and begging.
That way if you choose to ask for something it's in public and private messaging twenty people is not an option.

-Mus

Here is how I decide whether or not I respond.

If they give me a long drawn out story and seem like a genuine person who is appreciative of any advice, I'll tell them to search the forums

If they simply send me a "show me the best method" or "teach me to make money" I hit the delete button.

I don't care about peoples grammar so much, the thing I care about is being grateful to someone who is teaching you. If you are too lazy to type out the word you or another word and want to use "online talk" that is fine, just have the damn decency to thank your teacher.